Ever feel like you're pouring all your time into Instagram without seeing real results? You're not alone. For many business owners, social media can feel like a black hole. You post consistently, create Reels, and engage with your audience, but nothing seems to translate into actual business growth. The truth? You might be focusing on the wrong things.

In today’s blog, we’ll dive into the one key number you’re probably not watching and the three simple strategies that can unlock serious results for your business.

The One Number You Aren’t Watching: External Link Clicks

When people talk about social media metrics, we often hear about followers, likes, and comments. But here's the deal—those numbers might look good, but they rarely convert into dollars. The metric that really drives your business growth on Instagram is external link clicks.

This is the number of times someone clicks a link in your bio, stories, or DMs to leave Instagram and head to your website, shop, booking page, or whatever call to action you’re promoting. This is what we call the Instagram off-ramp—and it’s the key to turning your Instagram presence into actual revenue.

Let me share a quick story: We were managing an account for a local business, but their external link clicks were shockingly low—just two clicks in 30 days! The problem? They had no clear links in their stories or profile directing people to their services. Once we added external links and highlighted individual contractors in their stories, their link clicks increased dramatically, bringing real results.

If you’re focused on engagement numbers like comments or likes, it’s time to shift your focus. External link clicks are what matter most because they drive users to take action outside of Instagram. After all, 100 likes on a post won’t pay your bills—but a click that leads to a booking or a sale will.

The Three Things You Probably Aren’t Doing

Now that you know the importance of external link clicks, how do you drive more of them? Here are three key things many business owners overlook:

1. Add Links Everywhere

Are you placing links where they matter most? Links should be easy to find in your Instagram bio, stories, and DMs. Think of these links as doorways for your followers to step out of Instagram and into your business. Tools like Bitly are fantastic for creating short, trackable links so you can see how often people are clicking.

Tip: Add a strong, actionable call to action (CTA) with your links, such as "Shop Now," "Book Here," or "Learn More."

2. Get Creative with CTAs

Instead of the overused “link in bio,” mix up your CTAs to engage your audience more effectively. Phrases like “Tap to grab yours,” “Unlock access here,” or “Get started with one click” are more enticing and can prompt users to take action immediately.

Tip: The simpler and more direct your CTA, the better. Make it clear what your audience gets from clicking that link.

3. Utilize Instagram Highlights for Longer Engagement

Stories disappear after 24 hours, but Highlights keep your content (and links) alive. Organize your stories into Highlights with labels that make it easy for users to find what they’re looking for, whether it’s services, products, or events.

For example, if you’re a coach or a service-based business, create Highlights for each service you offer. Not only do these provide valuable info to your audience, but they also help you drive those all-important link clicks over time.

Tip: Categorize your Highlights with clear labels like “Services,” “Shop Now,” or “Book a Call” to drive clicks consistently.

Why This Matters: Real Results from Link Clicks

Let's get real for a second. Many business owners we work with have expressed frustration: “I’m posting, but nothing is happening.” The reason? They’re focusing on vanity metrics like likes or reach instead of the numbers that lead to real growth—external link clicks.

One of our clients saw a huge jump in their sales after focusing on this one number. For instance, we tracked 19,000 external link clicks from Instagram to their affiliate marketing platform in just one month. That translated directly into $19,000 in affiliate commissions. This was our “aha” moment—it proved that tracking external link clicks leads to measurable success.

You might be asking: How do I start tracking this?

1. Go to your Instagram professional dashboard.
2. Click on "View Insights."
3. Scroll down to find "External Link Clicks." This is the number that tells you how many people are taking action beyond Instagram.

If you’re not seeing the results you want, this is the metric you should start paying attention to.

Wrapping Up: The Game Plan for Real Growth

To sum it up, Instagram isn’t just about being popular—it’s about getting people to take action. The more you focus on driving traffic off the platform and into your sales funnels, the more results you’ll see.

Here’s your quick game plan to make Instagram work for your business:

• Add actionable links everywhere – in your profile, stories, and DMs.
• Get creative with your CTAs – ditch the “link in bio” and engage your audience with fresh, exciting phrases.
• Leverage Instagram Highlights to keep driving traffic over time and boost engagement with your offers.
• Track your external link clicks consistently, and adjust your strategy based on what works.

If you’re ready to take the next step in growing your business through social media, we’re here to help! Check out our Social School—an online course designed to give small business owners all the tools they need to master Instagram marketing. You’ll learn how to build an effective strategy, get more clicks, and see real, measurable growth.